Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Bumiusa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunsurf Bumiusa’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; vivid violet-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSURF BUMIUSA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunsurf Bumiusa’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, freely branching and freely flowering Petunia plants with uniformly mounding habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2008 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number Px1167-02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number P04820, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since July, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunsurf Bumiusa’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunsurf Bumiusa’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Vivid violet-colored flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are smaller than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have deep bluish purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have light bluish purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘Sunsurfcopavio’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,831. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurfcopavio’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were larger than plants of         ‘Sunsurfcopavio’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Sunsurfcopavio’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sunsurfcopavio’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of         ‘Sunsurfcopavio’.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurfcopavio’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Sunsurfcopavio’ had dark purple         violet-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Bumiusa’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Bumiusa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late spring in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were two months old when the photographs were taken and five months old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunsurf Bumiusa’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number Px1167-02, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number P04820, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures of about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures of about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and uniformly mounding             plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral             branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 21 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 47.5 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 24.6 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.1 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; viscid.         -   Color.—Close to 143A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire; slightly undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; viscid.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 138A; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,             close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; viscid. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             usually about 72 flowers developing per plant; flowers face             upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to             four weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering             commences naturally during the spring and plants flower             continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 4.1 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 2.1 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 83A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1.6 cm. Petal width: About 2.1 cm. Petal shape:             Spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal margin: Entire.             Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Densely             pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close             to 83A. Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to N87A.             Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to N88A; venation,             close to N88A. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to             N82A; venation, close to N82A. Throat: Close to N82B;             venation, close to N82B. Tube: Close to 79C; venation, close             to 86A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal             length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal width: About 2.4 mm. Sepal             shape: Narrowly elliptic. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.             Color: Developing sepals, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing sepals, lower surface: Close to 137D. Fully             developed sepals, upper surface: Close to 138A. Fully             developed sepals, lower surface: Close to 138A; towards the             base, tinted with close to 77A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 137D             tinted with close to N77A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Stamen length: About 1.6 cm to 2 cm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.6 mm by 2.3 mm. Anther             color: Close to N82D Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             Close to 92B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 2 cm. Style color: Close to 147D. Stigma             shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to             147A. Ovary color: Close to 143B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and             fruit development have not been observed on plants of the             new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Bumiusa’ as illustrated and described. 